Over the past couple of years, I've been working my way, chronologically, through the novels of Iris Murdoch (and enjoying her style and her plots enormously). I've just finished "The philosopher's pupil" (1983) where I found the following deft turn of phrase:

"Her summer dresses were made of that sort of feather-weight polyester which is what cotton is like when it goes to heaven."

I also encountered two words new to me: "ascesis" and "noumenal" (not in the same sentence, may I add).